I visited the English ‘seaside’ town with illuminations just as good as Blackpool
WE all know the famous Blackpool Illuminations, but if you can’t venture up north to catch them, there’s a tradition in the middle of the country that’s been going almost as long.
Matlock Bath in Derbyshire may be landlocked, but its seaside vibe draws the crowds, especially in the autumn when it’s got its own version of the illustrious illuminations on the coast.
I headed for the bright lights of this Heart of England hotspot to see why tourists are still in love with its illuminated boat parade, more than 125 years after it first lit up the River Derwent.
The big event takes place in Derwent Gardens every weekend in September and October, with children’s rides, food stalls and character appearances making for a festive atmosphere.
There’s even a fireworks display on some evenings, included in the price.
As we joined a steady stream of visitors wandering along the road towards the riverside park in the twilight, autumn leaves crunching beneath our feet, there couldn’t really be a more quintessentially British build-up to Bonfire Night.
The riverbank started to get crowded about half an hour before the boats appeared, but the parade spends a good hour rowing up and down, so you’ll soon get to see the displays if you’re not at the front when they first take to the water.
Honestly the effort taken by the Matlock Bath Venetian Boat Builders’ Association to create these light displays on just a rowing boat is incredible.
This year’s winner is a moving model of a fairground teacup ride, with child-size dummies riding in the cups and bubbles spouting from the central teapot.
Our favourite was the second-place Optimus Prime, which transformed from truck to robot and then back again as it was rowed along the river.
But hats off to all the designers and builders, who take their inspiration from everything from current culture like Squid Game or Spirited Away to historical figures like Florence Nightingale.
I also loved the helicopter, the planes and the lifeboat with its friendly, waving captain, marking 150 years of the RNLI.
There’s even a candle-lit boat to give an idea of what visitors would have seen if they attended the first illuminations in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria‘s jubilee.
I grew up visiting the Skegness Illuminations and I can remember the excitement as a child of being out in the dark, looking at the moving lights and trying to guess the story behind them.
They’ve even got a few of the ones I remember from childhood scattered through the gardens here.
I spotted a cow jumping over the moon at a little grotto, which was definitely a touch of nostalgia for the famous Jolly Fisherman mascot and the rest of the Skeggie lights, some of which were sold off a decade ago.
I do love the Blackpool Illuminations, which are free to visit and run until the New Year.
But Matlock Bath has a festive, family-friendly vibe that made it worth the ticket price of £7 or £8 for adults, depending on whether it’s a fireworks night, and just 50p for children.
Tokens for the kiddie rides were £2.50 for a single or five for £10. My tip would be to bring your own food and light-up wands if you want to keep costs down.
There’s loads to do in the town if you’re travelling from further afield and want to make a day of it.
Theme park Gulliver’s Kingdom is over the road from Derwent Gardens and even opens its car park for illuminations visitors.
A short stroll away are the cable cars which take you up to the unique Heights of Abraham attraction, which offers cut-price tickets for anyone attending the illuminations.
With playgrounds, tours of the caving systems and spectacular views out over the countryside, it’s a must-see for anyone who’s not been before.
What is Matlock Bath like?
Rob Crossan visited the unusual ‘seaside’ town.
Once famed as a spa resort, the town saw a decline in the fashion for mineral bath treatments.
Instead there was the rise of railway travel in Victorian times, which encouraged locals to turn this village into an eccentric destination, caring not a jot that the nearest beaches are in Skegness or north Wales.
At the end of the main street is the entrance to the Heights Of Abraham, a 60-acre hilltop park, reachable by mainland England’s only Alpine-style cable car.
Tempted by another ice cream, I think of Lord Byron, a visitor to the town in its heyday as a spa resort.
In a letter to a friend, he wrote: “I can assure you there are things in Derbyshire as noble as Greece or Switzerland.”
And just up the road from Matlock Bath is Crich Tramway Museum, which is great if you love heritage vehicles.
It’s no wonder that 100,000 visitors enjoy these awesome autumn illuminations every year.